The present invention relates to an improved highway crash cushion that operates to decelerate an impacting vehicle safely and efficiently.
Highway crash cushions are widely used to decelerate impacting vehicles while limiting deceleration to safe levels for occupants of the vehicles. Such cushions are used alongside roadways in many applications, such as in front of bridge piers and other obstructions. Additionally, highway crash cushions are positioned on shadow vehicles such as heavy trucks that are parked in front of work zones. The truck protects the work zone against intrusion from a vehicle that has left the roadway, and the highway crash cushion protects the impacting vehicle and the shadow truck during the collision.
June U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,792 assigned to the assignee of the present invention, discloses one highway crash cushion that is mounted to a truck via a support frame that includes articulated arms. An energy absorbing element is disposed in the support frame, which is designed to collapse and to decelerate an impacting vehicle in a controlled manner.